More than twenty representatives of fifteen non government organizations
(NGOs) from ten Latin American countries are meeting in Santiago de Chile from
October 15th to the 18th in order to coordinate strategies with a view toward
the 60th Annual Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which
will be held in the capital of our country in June of 2008.

Russia has fewer than 450-500 Amur (also known as Siberian
or Ussury) tigers in the wild, and no more than 35 Amur leopards. Historically,
fines in Russia for killing a tiger or leopard in Russia have been hopelessly
low - less than 2,000 rubles, or US$ 50 based on exchange rates from five years
ago. The new penalty for poaching a tiger, for example, is US$ 20,000. Both of
these rare species are killed by poachers to supply the international market.

“Maximizing the sustainable use of the oceans and seas” is
one of the key objectives of the EU Maritime Policy. “IFAW is particularly
concerned that the expansion of economic activities at sea and/or in coastal
areas as envisaged in the Action Plan will exponentially increase the level of
pressure on cetaceans, other marine mammals and sensitive areas”, says Veronica
Frank, Marine Campaigner at IFAW’s EU Office.

The IFAW Rescue Team was informed that the Payo Obispo
Zoological Garden in Chetumal had been severely damaged, and headed
there.&nbsp;“We were surprised when we reached the zoo; trees were
downed and there were branches everywhere. It was hard to find the roads between
the cages, and many of them and the buildings where the animals were exhibited
were damaged.

Flocken comes to IFAW from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of International Conservation, where he was responsible for
policy and outreach. He replaces Cindy Milburn, Senior Advisor, for IFAW’s
international headquarters, who has been serving as acting director for the DC
office.&nbsp;“Jeff’s 13 years of experience with both legislative
campaigns and conservation programs give him a breadth and depth of experience
across campaigning, education, fundraising and management functions that will
serve IFAW’s Washington D.C.

The passage of the Captive Wildlife Safety Act – which happened shortly after
IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare - www.ifaw.org) engaged in a
high-profile confiscation of 24 full-grown tigers from a suburban New Jersey
home –&nbsp; became necessary due to the high number of dangerous animals being
purchased and shipped across state lines. As the CWSA regulations explain,
“Statistics show a considerable number of injuries or deaths attributable to big
cats.

Haley’s Act would amend the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to prohibit direct contact
between the general public and big cats, including lions, tigers, leopards,
cheetahs, jaguars, cougars and hybrids.&nbsp; The bill does not discourage
public display of big cats in accredited zoos, or housing big cats in
sanctuaries, but rather seeks to strengthen safety for the public.&nbsp; It also
significantly increases fines for violations of the AWA to further encourage
facilities to abide by the law and treat the animals
well.&nbsp;“Allowing public contact with big cat

The ban officially removes the Dutch market from the international commercial
seal trade, sending a strong message to the Canadian government that European
markets for seal products are continuing to shrink.

The event highlighted this summer’s cetacean survey of the eastern Mediterranean
Sea which began in May. Mahmoud Fouad of the Department of Natural Resources at
Egypt’s Ministry of Environment is among the 12 interns who are participating in
SOTW’s current survey.&nbsp;More than eighty people attended the dinner
event, including Gen. Adel Labeeb, Governor of Alexandria; Dr. Mustafa Fouda,
Director of Natural Resources at the Ministry of Environment; Dr, Ragy Fakhry
Toma, Director of the Egyptian Wildlife Service; Dr.

Statistics from Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) show that to
date, 215,388 harp seals have been taken from the 270,000 harp seal quota for
2007. Final catch numbers will not be available until after the hunt closes and
all pelts are counted.&nbsp;“Based on our observation flights in the
Gulf of St. Lawrence in March and April of this year, I’m not surprised that the
sealers failed to fulfill their quota,” said Cheryl Jacobson, leader of IFAW’s
Hunt Watch team.